KARABAKH IS NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE RUSSIAN DUMA HEARINGS ON UNRECOGNIZED STATES

KarabakhOpen
14-03-2008 11:21:29

Nagorno-Karabakh has received no official invitation for participation
in the hearings in the Russian Duma on the issue of unrecognized
states.

"The representatives of NKR were not delegated to Moscow," said the
chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee of Foreign Affairs Vahram
Atanesyan in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com.

Yesterday three factions of the Karabakh parliament signed a statement,
urging the parliaments of countries not to apply double standard to
the recognition of states and asserting the right of Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic for international recognition.

Today the Russian Duma kicked off hearings on the state of settlement
of conflicts in the CIS and the appeal of Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and Transdnyestr to Russia to recognize their independence. After the
hearing recommendations to the government, lower and upper chambers
of the Russian parliament and subjects of the Russian Federation will
be passed.

The chair of the Duma Committee for the CIS affairs and relations with
compatriots Aleksey Ostrovsky noted a coincidence in an interview
with the Regnum news agency: "The parliamentary hearings are held
immediately after the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo
and following recognition of the country by a number of key foreign
political actors."

"In the light of the changing geopolitical situation on the planet
we may view the situation in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transdnyestr
anew. All the participants of the hearings may openly spell out their
stance. I believe that after the consideration of this issue during
the parliamentary hearings the Committee for the CIS affairs will
pass recommendations to the government of the Russian Federation, the
Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the subjects of our
country on the use of new forms of interrelations with unrecognized
states," Aleksey Ostrovsky said.

Aleksey Ostrovsky confessed that the key actors violated the
international law in determining geopolitics and recognized the
independence of Kosovo.

"The independence of Kosovo took place also because 8-9 years ago
the U.S. government with the help of its Western European partners
clearly signaled to the Kosovar separatists that they should fight
for independence on allegedly their territory. The Russian Federation
does not conduct a policy of double standard unlike its transatlantic
and Western European partners. Pandora’s box which was opened by the
Americans in Serbia may be projected on our country. Therefore, first
of all we need to think about our own interests," the Russian MP added.

"The leadership of the country realizes the goal of guaranteeing the
security of its citizens, including those living outside Russia. And
we cannot stare calmly at how the stance of official Tbilisi becomes
tougher in favor of a military solution of the problem and this poses
a threat to the life of our compatriots living in South Ossetia and
Abkhazia," Aleksey Ostrovsky said.

Analysts think that Russia’s actions may go beyond discussions and
become more practical. The first step is, in particular, that Moscow
lifted sanctions applied to Abkhazia. The road connecting Russia and
Abkhazia blocked for 12 years has opened. A flow of Russian investments
in the travel business in Abkhazia is reported. The next step could
be the recognition of independence of Abkhazia and its unification
with Russia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress